No Worries

Wedding Planners

Erica Greenwold Reisen of Folie à Deux Events tends to a wedding flower installation in 2020. Photo by Kivus & Camera

Wedding planners share how their services – from the first consultation to an unforgettable reception – leave clients stress-free on their big day

By Caitlyn Yaede

The thought of planning a wedding is thrilling for many couples. But as the big day approaches, juggling vendor communication, party rentals and setting up the venue on top of the anticipation that comes with getting married can be overwhelming. This is why many couples hire a professional wedding or event planner to ensure that their wedding day or weekend runs seamlessly.

Don’t just take our word for it. C&D Events co-owner Dana Kadwell has worked in the event planning industry for 16 years. Atimeline is set after the first consultation to best accommodate the needs of the couple. Dana explains that wedding planning comes in waves – her job is to identify peak stress times in her clients’ personal and professional lives and plan around them.

Magnolia Collective owner Meagan Culkin shares a similar perspective. Meagan has been in the industry for 14 years, and she offers event planning services for weddings across North Carolina and Virginia. She sees herself as a resource provider – giving couples recommendations and introducing them to preferred vendors who fit their budget and style. “They’ve got a Staples help button in their back pocket for when they need us,” she says.

Addie Thompson has been in the business since 2014 and is the owner

of Dogwood Gatherings and Events. She offers one package to clients – a partial planning package – which allows her to be available to the couple as much as they need or want. Communication starts immediately after the consultation as Addie and her team send simple layouts of the ceremony and timelines – all the useful things that couples may not necessarily know how to create themselves.

Becca Taylor is an event planner and designer for Anthem House, and she compares a wedding planner to a contractor. She says you wouldn’t build a house without one – they manage subcontractors and take on scheduling and coordinating. A wedding planner does the same thing when they manage vendor communication, host mock-ups and attend meetings with their clients. With a planner, work won’t fall on the shoulders of family members or the wedding party.

The best part of hiring a professional planner is there’s no pressure to relinquish control over your big day. Couples can and will have plenty of input, but without the stress of actually executing those choices. Meagan says she is helping to realize a vision more so than planning every detail of a client’s day. Dana describes hiring a wedding planner as hiring someone to go to bat for you. Contacting vendors, overcoming obstacles and coordinating timelines are the job of the event planner.

“We just sort of ride the waves with them and then protect them from anything that may come crashing in,” Addie says.

Becca agrees and says Anthem House makes sure to get to know the client and what they expect their wedding journey to looking like. Then they create wedding festivities that reflect who they are as a couple.

For those who are concerned about the costs associated with hiring a wedding planner, Addie tells us that event planning pays for itself. She says that she dedicates more than 300 hours to her clients and is constantly providing suggestions on how to keep to their budget along the way.

Planners know all the budgetfriendly life hacks – for example, repurposing bridesmaid bouquets as centerpieces to cut floral costs. And when the big day comes around, Meagan says she wants couples to “set it and forget it.” The pandemic hasn’t been without last-minute challenges for her clients, but she has found ways to relocate vendors and book last-minute venues when plans fall through.

Dana says she is the first to arrive and the last to leave on wedding days, ensuring that everything moves smoothly and as planned. For Addie, the most rewarding part of the process is when the couple walks into their reception and it is exactly as they imagined.

Investing in a wedding or event planner upfront can be daunting, but as Meagan says, don’t be afraid to phone a friend early in the process. From the first consultation to the celebratory exit, a wedding planner has the expertise and care to leave couples with no worries.

C&D Events planned a Palm Springs-inspired styled shoot and brunch at Raleigh Union Station for local wedding and event professionals in August 2021. Photo by Fancy This Photography

Florals designed by Bowerbird Flowers & Apothecary captured the Palm Springs party theme with tropical colors, greenery and miniature pineapples. Photo by Fancy This Photography